Well drill sharpening devices



Dec. 3, 1957 w. D. HAHN 2,314,960

WELL DRILL SHARPENING DEVICES Filed Sept. 2, 1955 INVENTOR United States Patent 2,814,960 WELL DRILL SHARPENING DEVICES Wilbur D. Hahn, Sidney, ohm Application September 2, 1955, Serial N 0. 532,233 9 Claims. (Cl. 76

My invention relates to those devices for sharpening drill bits whereby the drill bit points may be reconditioned and sharpened without removing the drill bit from its operating mechanism.

Present day methods and means to sharpen well drilling bits require that the bits be removed from the rigging operating the drill bits to a place away from the operating zone of drilling. These methods and means require great amount of time and manual labor to dismantle the drill and its operating mechanism before the drill bits can be sharpened. In the case of large drill bits extra crane and handling equipment is necessary.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a self aligning, swivable and tiltable die and bolster block that will accomplish the sharpening of a drill at an angle to a vertical axis in any position around a circle in a horizontal plane with relation to said vertical axis.

erates the drll bit during the sharpening of the drill bit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a drill bit sharpening apparatus that will accomplish the sharpening of the drill bit without dismantling its holding and driving mechanism while it is suspended on the rigging for operating the drill at an angle relative to the axis of a well being driven, and;

Another object of my invention is to provide a swiveling, tiltable die and bolster block adapted to be positioned at an angle to the vertical axis of a well casing in suspended at an angle tothe axis plane about the vertical axis of the die and bolster block.

These and other objects will be more specifically pointed out and described in the specifications and the draw ings comprising my application for a patent.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view in elevation showing a drill bit position and ready to be sharpened.

Figure 2 is a side view in elevation of the assembled die and bolster block with the guide bars removed.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of my swivable die block with guide rods attached.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of my bolster block.

Figure 5 is a front view in elevation of a typical drill bit.

Figure 6 is an end view of a tappered clamp gib.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a bit holder removed from the guide bars.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of my bolster clamp block.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of my sharpening de vice in operating position on a well drilling rig.

I have illustrated a split bolster block 1 of two matching halves 2 and 3 that are secured together by cap screws 4. The cap screws are rotatably retained within clearance holes 5 in one of the halves and screwed into tapped 2,814,960 Patented Dec. 3, 1957 holes 6 in the other matching half. A space 7 is provided between lugs 8 that are integral with the bolster block to insure the clamping of the bolster block around a ball 9 on my die block 10. The bolster block has a spherical hole 11 which matches the curvature of the ball on the die block and when the cap screws pull the two halves of the bolster block together with the ball in the spherical hole the die block will be held in a vertical position or at an metrically about the center of the bolster block in a horizontal circle of three hundred and sixty degrees. A boss 12 on the bolster block has another tapped hole 13 for a hand wheel screw 14 integral with and fixed to a rotatable hand wheel 15. Within the bolster block there is a rectangular slot 16 for slidably retaining a clamp block 17 having a concave surface 18 for matching and contacting the surface of the ball on the die block and a plane surface 19 upon which the end of the screw exerts holding force to provide an auxiliary clamping means to insure the holding of the die block at a determined angle while a drill bit is being sharpened.

Fixed to and integral with the ball is the die block 10 having a ledge 19. A die (not shown) is secured within an opening 20 of the die block by means of set screws 21. Fixed in and extending vertically from the ledge of the die block there are multiple guide rods 22 adapted to be slidably retained within bored sliding bearings 23 on a bit holder 24. The bit holder has a tapered opening 25 for slidably retaining tapered gibs 27 that clamp a shank 28 of a drill bit 29 within the bit holder. Tapered surfaces 30 on the gib slidably engage the tapered surfaces within the. bit holder and the reaction between these surfaces produce a wedging action on the drill bit shank and prevent its movement in relation to the bit holder. Extending at right angles from the tapered surfaces there are arms 31 having tapped holes for set screws 32. These set screws hold the tapered gibs in fixed position. The plane surfaces of the gibs are placed against the shank of the drill bit and ends 33 of the screws bear on surfaces 34 of the bit holder thereby fixing the b1t holder in relation to the bit and when ciprocated on the guide bars the drill bit will be in alignment with a die secured in the die block.

While drilling a well the bit is supported and operated by a cable 35 which operates the bit in a well casing 36. When the drill bit needs sharpening it is withdrawn from the casing and the bit holder is'clamped to the drill shank by means of the tapered gibs. The bit holder and the block 10.

The ball on the die block will allow the die block to come to proper alignment with the cable axis and when in this position the cap screws and clamp block will be tightened to clamp the ball with its die block in this position. The bit is then raised and lowered by the cable until it obta1ns the outline from the impression within rods and immediately submerged in a quenching vat 37 for hardening.

If tempering is necessary the bit end can be placed in: the fire and drawn to the proper temper for drilling.

The description illustrates how my device eliminates: time for dismantling a drill bit for sharpening. The forge, die and bolster block and quenching vat are all portable and can readily be positioned in proximity of ange to the vertical positioned microof the bit is" likewise involved long as the bit can'be pointed and. sharpened; With" my deviee economy is' realized by' the elimination of time andtlie necessity of dismantling and waiting f or'thefie turn of the bit" and" again assembliiig'fo'r operation;

Another. advanta e" of myon the job portable bit sharpening". device is that the contour of the bit' can" be changed re'a'dil'y' on the job to suit the cutting edge to meet the" requirements 'dleta'tedby thestrata aridc'o'm'po'sitiotf of the" eartliibein'g'" d rilledf obviously" a diillbif point can" be converted quickly and serve universally insteadofa vast'supp'ly of spare bits.

WhileI" have: described mydie and bolster block for use" in drilling a' well 1- do" not mean to limit: if to this particular use. It has" other uses and can readily be adapted for use on punch presses such as are used in themetal stampingfindustry. Its use o'n piinch presses will readily occur'to'persons familiar withthedifficulties of alin'ingpuncli' and' die set's'as used' on punch presses. Whenused'oriipuncli'pressest punch holder as well as'the' bolster block and die holder' can' be'swivable and tiltable; Settings of pun'ches and die's will beaccomplished quickly and the use of shims under punch and die' b'lo'cks Will be unnecessary.

My device canalso' be used-in forging presses especially where mouldscan be so positioned to eliminate the necessity of tilting the material being formed in a forging die. Mybolster block can be set' to be'movea'ble during the forging'oper'ation and tliereby allow the hammer of the forge tolhit in special and'not'easilyaccessable positions.

Having'ide'scribedmy'invention and desiring to secure Letters Pa'tent lI claim:

1. A"die-drill bit sharpening device comprising a hollow segmented bolster liol'd'r block and a die block integral with a spherical'support adapted to be swivably positioiied" within said bolster block to position said die at anyangle within ahemispherical area circumferentially of avertical axis ofsaidfde'vice. I v

2: A die holding, device comprising. aspherically hollowed connected segmented bolster block and aholder. for said die having.integralftherewith-a spaced sphere adapted to be fixed within said bolster blockto-secure said die within said die holder at any angle within a hemispherical area circumferentially about a-vertical axis ofsaid die holding-device and at an angle to saidvertical axis.

3. A' die holding devicefor sharpeningwell drilling bits comprising a hollowed bolster block and-a die holder for said die having .a support adapted 'tobe 'rotatedwithin-'- said' bolster block to pos' a hemispherical area about a vertical axis of said device and circumferentially about said axis.

4. A well drill bit sharpening die device in combination with a well drill bit actuating means comprising a hollowed 1 segmented-bolster block with. clamping means and a die block for said die integral with a support adapted to be rotated within. said bolster block to selfalignsaid die if spare Bits arenot. on" hand. With my device no spare" bits" are necessary as" ion said die at an angle-withinwith said bit to be sharpened at any angle within a hemispherical area about a vertical axis of said bit" sharpening device and well drill bit actuating means.

5. A well drill bit sharpening die device in combination with a well drill bit acutating means comprising a spherically hollowed segmented bolster block with a clamping means and a die holder integralwith a sphere adapted to be rotated and fixed within" said bolster block to align a die in saiddie holder with said well drillbit and drill bit actuating means at any angle within a hemispherical area positioned circumfei'entiall'yaboutavertical axis of said well drill bit sharpening die device.

6. A' well'drill bit actuating'means in combination with a well drill bit sharpening die device comprising; a clamping device for said drill bit while said drill bit is attached to said actuating means and a die holder integral with guiding means to slidably retain said clamping device and align said bit with said die to-position the end of said bit insaiddie'held'irisaid'holder' and means to support and fix said die holder at an angle to said actuating means in any position circumferentially about a vertical axis of said drill bit sharpening device. v

7. A well drill bit actuating means in combination. With' a well drill" bit sharpening device comprising; a clamping device for said attached to said actuating means anda die holder integral with'guiding means to slidably retain said clampingdevice an'dalign said bit with'said die to position the end of said bit in said die heldin said holder and means to support and fixs'a'id dieholde'rat an angle to saidactuatingmeans in any position cir'cuinferentially about a vertical axis of; said drill bit sharpening device to sharpen said drill bit without removing said drill from said actuating means.

8. The combination of a die for sharpening a well drill bit and means for actuating-said drill to drill wells comprising a guide means clamped to a shank supporting said drill bit without removing said shank and drill bit from said actuating means, and a die block for saiddie having" other'guide means to slidably engage said first guide means to align and position saiddrill bit insaid diewhile said die is inclined'at an angle to avertical plane and in line'with said actuating-.means-and swivel means to fix said die at any angle within a hemispherical area about and inline with said actuating means in any position circumferentiallyabout a vertical axis of saidswivel: means.

9; The combination ofa die for sharpeningv a welldrill bit'an'd means for actuating, said drill to drill wellscomprising aguide means clamped to a shank supportingsaid References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- 902,14-6 Gilson Oct. 27', 1908 1,041,200 Tmneu1i- Oct. 15, 1912. 1,428,612 Sheehy Sept. 12, 1922" 1,560,486 Rummins Nov: 3; 1925 drill bit while said dim bit is 

